Top IBM Exec to Address Young Professionals Group

Success in today’s business world means embracing change and turning challenges into opportunities. On Tuesday, June 26, the Westchester County Association will welcome Linda Sanford, senior vice president, enterprise...

Linda Sanford (pictured right) presenting the Young Engineer of Britain award. The IBM executive will share her views on leadership and transformational management with WCA's Young Professionals Group on June 26. Credit: Eckington School

...transformation at IBM, who will share her insights on the keys to becoming an effective, transformative leader with the Westchester County Association’s Young Professionals Group. This group includes more than 600 local business professionals under the age of 40.

“Through events and networking opportunities of this kind, the Westchester County Association is working to actively produce the area’s next generation of business leaders,” said Bill Mooney, president, Westchester County Association. “Tomorrow’s CEOs must be able to effectively guide their organizations through challenging periods and arrive stronger on the other side. So we’re thrilled to have a leader like Linda Sanford share with our membership her blueprint for success.”

Sanford, who co-authored “Let Go To Grow: Escaping the Commodity Trap,” is responsible for IBM’s ongoing drive to incorporate innovation into key areas of the company – from technology to operations to culture.

The event, titled “Leadership for a Smarter Planet,” will be held at IBM’s Hawthorne campus at 19 Skyline Drive on Tuesday, June 26, from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. Sanford will reflect on her own transformation experience at IBM, as well as insights gained from working with change leaders at organizations around the world.

Sanford serves on the Board of Directors of The Business Council of New York State, Inc, the Partnership for New York City, and ITT Industries. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for The State University of New York, St. John's University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the New York Hall of Science. She is a member of the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Engineering. Sanford has been named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Business by Fortune magazine, one of the Top Ten Innovators in the Technology Industry by Information Week magazine, and one of the Ten Most Influential Women in Technology by Working Woman magazine.

A graduate of St. John's University, Sanford earned an M.S. in Operations Research from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was also awarded an honorary doctorate in commercial science from St. John’s.

About the Westchester County AssociationThe Westchester County Association (www.westchester.org) is the preeminent business membership organization in Westchester County. The Association is committed to business advocacy, economic vitality and to providing a strong and clear voice for the interests of businesses on the regional, national and international levels. Its key objectives are promoting positive economic development in the region; fostering business development; and providing its members with access and interaction with key public and private sector individuals, agencies and organizations.